Container for explosives



April 19, 1927.

J. SPOTSWOOD ET AL CONTAINER FOR EXPLOSIVES Filed March 27. 1925 J 6;:023 wood W INVENTORS BY THEIR ATTORNEY Patented Aer- 19, 1927;

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oints. srorswoon, or ironrcnm, Arm HAROLD m. euircx, or nmmow, new

imasnr; ASSIGNORS r0 E. no PONT DE NEMOURS & oomrm, orwmmmoron, nnra waan, a conronarrou or DELAWARE. 4 r. r

oommn-ron ExPnosIvEs. l J

Applicatiomflled march 27, 1923 se ial'no. 627,957.

.This invention relates to containers ,for explosives and has more particular relation to containersafor use where fixed ammunition'isnot used, the container holding both a main charge and'an igniter charge. It'is ,highly desirable that. a containerof ,this

type be somewhat flexible while sufliciently rigid to properlyretain its shape, and so:

forth, strong, waterproof,- and capable of keeping the main charge and. the igniter charge properly separated, but also it is desirable that it be light and composed of a material not only not detrimental orindifferent to the explosion, but capa'ble of increasing the effectiveness of theexplosion. We have devised a container which, while having the various desirable characteristics of lightness, non-detrimental material, and

so on, 15 strain and possesses the requisite rigidity and flexibility. The ob ect of the invention is to provide a eontalner having the mentioned, and other, desirablefeatures.

To this end, and also to improve generall upon containers of thecharacter indicate the invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described and claimed.

Without restricting the invention thereto it is described with more particular reference to the embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying *drawings. In these drawings: 7 r A I Figure 1 is an elevation of a container;

' Figure 2 is a diametricalseetlon of the left (in-Figure'l) end'of the container;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and c Figure 4 is a diametrical section of the right (in Figure 1) end of the container.

In Figure 2, due to the exaggeration of the thickness of the stock from which thecont'ainer is made, the difference between the diameters of the inner'and outer elements is greatly exaggerated, the outer diameter of -the inner container and the inner diameter 0 the outer container being, actu-' ally, nearly the same. In'th'e drawings but minor showing of the cement is attempted;

to avoid confusion and unnecessary complication.

the charge, e. g. pyroxylin plastic, and elso comprises a container of such-material and having said construction,

vReferring now to the drawings, theillustrated container comprises'an inner element designated generally as 1, and an outer protective and, reinforcing" element designated '80 generally as 2. The inner element presents .a chamber C for the main 'izharge, e. g.

smokeless cellulose. nitrate powder, and a chamber I for the igniter charge,'e. g. black composed powder. Both elements. are throughout of pyroxylin plastic, the double -but separatewall construction provided by the two elementsv providing for the use of this material in sheet form while providing requisite rigidity, combined with a desirable amount of flexibility, and strength against rough handling and so on. A certam degree of rigidity is of course called for 1n order that the form of the container may be preserved, while some flexibility is also desirable; the double-wall construction gives these characteristics while providing for the use of suchmaterial as 'thin sheets of py roxylin plastic. The thickness of the sheets will of course varysomewhat with the size 99 sheets of the material, for example two sheets of ;015 inch each are more flexible and also more readily consumed on firing,. than a single thick sheet having the aggregate thickness, .030 inch, of the 'two thin sheets? A further advantage of the two-- elementconstruetion is that in case of damage it is not likely that both elements would be' ruptured at the same point, and the container will remain waterproof despite the (lama e.

Re erring to the illustrated construction in detail," the inner element- 1 comprises the cylindricalshell 3, the inner open head 4 with the ppening 4, the inner open head 5' opening i and the external open-head 7. The latter supports the cylindrical. igniter gchamber I upon theflange 8 of the opening 7 K The chamber is made upof, the shell 9 with closing end 10 and has the closure 11 105 resting on the inwardly projecting support ing flange 12 1n the flange 8. The shells 3 and 9 are conveniently made by bringing with the opening 5, the closingicap 6 for the the'side edges of a sheet of plastic into overlapping relation and cementing the seam as 13 and 14. The various heads and the like externally of the shell and the head internally); the cap 6 cemented to the head 4,-

the end 10 cemented to the shell 9, the shell 9 cemented to the flange 8, and the closure 11 cemented to the flange 12.

The outer element 2 comprises the cylindrical shell 15, closely receiving the element 1, with the interior and exterior closing heads 16 and 17 cemented to the shell. A becket 18 is received at its ends betweenthe two heads and between the head 17 and the shell 15 and cemented in place. Desirably an eyelet 19 is provided for each end of the becket and lying between the two heads and cemented thereto, for strengthening the aperture for the becket in the sheet. As indicated at 20, the element 2 is Without a head at the end adjacent the ignition end of the inner element 1, and the end 20 is cemented 'to the inner element, leaving the ignition end exposed. Desirably this end, that is the'head- 7 and the closure 11, is given a distinctively visual characterlstic, as a distinctive color, distinguishing it from the other end of the container. The shell 15 may be made as are the shells 3. and 9, and have the seam 21.

- The plastic used for the container may of course be of any desired color and finish. Desirably substantially colorless transparent material may be used for the inner element but with the head 7 and closure 11 red, the

shell 3 being (given a smooth finish to facilitate its sli ing into the outer element. Colorless material may be used for the outer element, with a smooth inner surface, but.

if desired a linen or frosted finish maybe given the exterior. As will be understood,

the possibilities of finish and appearance are wide; the invention is not restricted to any particular features of this sort. The plastic and the cement may be of any suitable character and formula. Merely by way of example I mention (parts by weight) for the plastic, pyroxylin (N- content 10.85 to 11.15%) 77, camphor 20, volatile solvents (as acetone) 3, any suitable stabilizer being used as will be understood by those skilled in the art' for the cement, butyl acetate 30, butyl alcohol 38, ethyl acetate 32,"this serving as a softener upon application of which the plastic will adhere. If a pyroxylin-contaming cement is desired it may be butyl acetate 27, butyl alcohol 24, ethyl acetate 29, pyroxyhn 10. It will be noted that the plastlC' has about 60% of the ballistic value of smokeless powder. In other Words, if the plastlc weighs, for example, five pounds, three pounds can be deducted from the eaacsa smokeless powder charge and the same velocities obtained. This is a great advantage over such containers as silk bags which have no ballisticivalue.

The assembling and loadin of the container may becarried out as follows:-'The heads 4 and 5, and the head 7 carrying the chamber I are cemented to the shell 3, the charge of smokeless powder is filled into the chamber 0 through the opening 4 ,,and the cap 6 cemented in place,.enclosing the charge in a thoroughly waterproof manner. The outer element 2 (shell 15 with heads 16 and 17 demented thereto) is slid over the inner element, fully and closely containing it, except the head 7, and giving additional strength and protection and doubly insuring the waterproofing, and the edge 20 is cemented to the inner element, giving the two elements a unitary character. At the desired time the igniter charge is filled into size of the inner unit and closely receiving" the same, said outer unit having an open end and said inner unit being received in the outer with the igniter-charge-chamber end exposed by sald open end. 7

2. A container for explosive charge made of waterproof quick burning material and comprising an inner ex losive containing unit and an outer unit 0 substantially the size of the inner unit and closely receiving the same, said container comprising an igniter-charge chamber, structurally distinct from the interior space of the innerexplosive-containing unit, at one end thereof, and such end having a visual characteristic distinct from those of the op osite end of lthe container, identifying sai one end as the igniter end.

3. A container for explosive charges made of waterproof quick burning material and comprising an inner explosive-containingunit having an igniter-charge chamber, structurally distinct from the interior space of the inner explosive-containin unit, at one end, and an outer unit of .su stantially the size of the inner unit and closely receiving the same said outer unit having an open end and said inner unit being receivedin the outer with the igniter-charge-chamber end exposed by said open end, said exposed end having a visual characteristic distinct from thoseof the opposite end of the container, idgntifying the exposed end as the igniter en a. A container for explosive chargesmade of waterproof quick burning material and comprising an inner explosive-containing unit having an 'igniter-charge chamber at 5 one end, and an outer unit of substantially the size of the inner unit and closely receiving the same, said outer unit having an open end and said inner unit being received in the outer with the igniter-charge-chamber 10 end exposed by said open end, said exposed end having a color distinct from the opposite end of the container, identifying the exposed end as the igniter-end.

A container for explosive charges made 315 of Waterproof quick burning material and comprising aninner chamber-presenting unit having one end closed and the other provided with an igniter-charge chamber, structurally distinct from the interior space of 20 the inner explosive-containing unit, opening upon such end, and an outer envelopng unit ,of substantially the size of the inner unit to closely receive the same and having one end closed and the other open, the inner I 2 unit received in the outer with the closed ends ofthe two adjacent and the igniterchar e-chamber end of the inner unit exposed by the open end of the outer.

6. A container for explosive charge made 36 of waterproof quick burning material and comprising an inner unit in the character of a cylinder headed-at each end, each head having an opening, a closing cap for the one head, an igniter-charge chamber carried at the other head and opening upon the openat the other end a pair of open heads the ing therein, a closure for such opening, and an outer unit of substantially the size of the inner unit to closely receive the same and in the character of a cylinder headed at the one end and open at the other, said inner unit received in the outer with its capped head adjacent the closed head of the outer and its igniter-chamber head exposed by the open end of the outer.

7. A container for explosive charges made of waterproof quick burning material and comprising an inner unit comprising a shell having at the one end an open head anda cap head for closing the same and having one exterior of the other, an igniter-chargechamber carried by the exterlor head and communicating with the opening thereof, and means for closing such opening; said container also comprising an outer unit of substantially the size of the inner unit to closely receive the same, and comprising a shell having at one end a pair of closln heads the one exterior of the other an having the other end open, the inner unit received in the outer with the one said end a of the inner adjacent the closed end of the outer and the igniter-charge-chamber end of the inner exposed by the-open end of the outer.

In testimony whereof we afix our signatures:

JOHN B. SPOTSWOOD. HAROLD M. GULICKL 

